Ballad of an Ugly, Shy Girl
by GirlofNoConsequence
Summary: After Finn struggles with the aftermath of dumping Rachel, another girl comes his way. She is smart, funny and beautiful but only he is able to see it. Is Finn ready to let the right one in and is she ready to let someone see the real HER? FinnxOC NickxOC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note #1: I just thought I'd take a little break from 'One Night' and write a little compilation of chapters about an original character, Maggie Curtis, who I hate to say it, is based a little on myself, particularly physically. It's written in the form of both a diary and a normal story, written with an 'I' speaker, I can't remember which person that is? Here in the first chapter she retells the story where she first meets Finn Hudson, which does not end particularly well. **

**The Ballad of the Ugly, Shy Girl**

**Monday 1****st**** January 2011: Entry #1**

Today was fun. A new school and a new start, isn't that what they say? I tried to make an effort with making some new friends but the classes were too chaotic, but I watched a couple of kids at lunch and they seemed nice enough. People just can't seem to understand that I'm normal even if I don't look like it. I am still the same sixteen year-old who left her few best friends in New York to travel to some dead-end town in Ohio because her parents split up over two months ago. My mom left with my sister and me because of her new job as part of a new advertising firm among other things. Lima hasn't got anything going for it, all save a supermarket, a low-grade high school and maybe a few dive bars here and there.

I guess an explanation is needed before I go on. It all happened at birth, despite the whole delivery being successful; something about me didn't feel 'right' as my mom puts it. Turns out it was a lot more serious, a facial 'disfigurement'. This led onto months of treatments and surgeries, my mom suffered much more than I did before I could even talk or walk, which ironically is something the doctors told her I wouldn't be able to do. Since then, I haven't been quite the same and somehow it has forced me to build a stronger backbone. The constant staring and jeering didn't help and my schoolwork began to suffer because of it as I started to neglect anything remotely academic as the bullying intensified.

So after my parents' divorce was finalised, my mom moved my sister and I out to a faraway place where she hoped no-one would stare and assume they knew everything about us. The house we live in now is smaller than the one we had in New York, considering that was an large two-floor apartment and this is a modest three bedroom semi-detached house on a uneasily quiet suburban street, mixed in with other houses that look exactly the same, so we can't exactly put our own unique stamp on our brand-new home.

Here's how the first few hours in Lima, Ohio passed by. As soon as I stepped through the front door, I decided to assert my authority as the older sibling, in a successful attempt to get the bigger bedroom. After everything in my collection of big brown boxes were packed away into their rightful place, I quickly made my way downstairs, managing to mistake my footing as I tripped on the sneaky bottom step. I noticed my mom's absence, instead choosing to turn on the tiny terrestrial television and staking my claim on a solitary corner of the three-piece suite. Wherever my mom had gone, my sister had obviously gone with her, which was quickly becoming a blessing in disguise.

My eyes suddenly began drift, my head too slipped off of my hand. Thinking nothing of it, I decided that going to sleep was probably my best bet, especially if I was going to get a good start for school the day after (looks like that didn't happen!).

This is where it gets juicy! As I was trying helplessly to get to sleep, I woke up to a loud knock on the door. Realising that I'd left a long, clear trail of drool down the side of the couch, I quickly tidied up my appearance as best I could and rushed to the tiny hallway.

He was tall, insanely tall, like a weirdly cool woodland creature. His eyes were a brilliant brown, almost the colour of my favourite chocolate. His hair was meticulously spiked up and stylishly cut. His lips pursed as he caught sight of my dishevelled appearance. His hands fit tightly inside his pockets and his feet began to kick the porch step.

"Hey I'm Finn. Finn Hudson" He said with his Mid-Western drawl and his hands still deep in his pockets. I couldn't help but feel steadily intimidated by his height as I stood at just five foot and two inches tall. As his nerves began to kick in again, the constant vandalism of my front porch continued.

"Well Finn Hudson, would you mind not kicking a hole in my front porch?" I shot back with my sharply rehearsed wit, trying to stand confidently on the balls of my feet. The tall, dark stranger (What a cliché?) stopped quickly and pointed down the street proudly. Leaning out of my doorway, I noticed a house at the end of the road which stuck out from the rest with its large driveway and a thin row of shrubs that lined the outside.

"My mom told me to come over and greet the new neighbours and so here I am" I managed to smile through my falling fringe, holding out my sweaty palm. He misunderstood my gesture, trying to string a sentence together with surprising confidence.

"I'm trying to shake your hand, whether it's secret or not? I don't know" He struggled to laugh at my awkwardly confident tone. I however hid away shyly underneath my long, baggy sleeve, knowing that my abrupt confidence was a step too far.

He turned away suddenly, I thought instantly I'd gone too far for my own good. I was quickly proven wrong when my new 'friend' slowly edged towards me, holding out his hand in front of mine. I smiled, deliberately trying to not mess up a perfectly good handshake with my over-eagerness.

The playful banter continued as he stood on my porch, watching my every move with his dark brown eyes. I quickly forgot the 'thing' that had stood in the way of making friends in my old school and in my old town. It seemed Finn could see what lay across my face but chose to ignore it because of the plain truth that I am a real person, not just a face with not an ounce of beauty and prettiness left.

"So I better get my school-bag packed before I fall asleep again" I realised my mom was now listening into our conversation as she leant out of the car window. I could already hear my sister's sniggers from the back seat as I leant against the front doorframe. Finn turned and smiled with an unusual awkwardness as only one corner of his mouth curved as he spotted my mother at the height of my own embarrassment.

"So I guess that's your mom?" I nodded quietly, listening to a click of the doors as my mom and sister walked up the drive, sniggering amongst themselves. Finn held up his arms as they brushed past him, I managed to stop the blushing that had already reached my cheeks.

"Yeah and that whirlwind of terror and destruction was my little sister, Hannah" Politely, I tried to excuse myself, keeping my outward appearance poised and comfortable as Finn continued to watch me carefully. Finally I insisted that my schoolwork was calling me and I whispered my goodbye as I watched him walk down our drive and along the quiet suburban street.

"I'll see you at school probably. I'll give you a shout if I see you around" I gave him one of my pleasantly weak smiles, closing the door behind me and preparing to chastise my embarrassing little sister and my mother who was equally terrifying.

Well that was yesterday and so Finn Hudson, you son of a gun, you promised (well it wasn't really a definite promise but it was the closest thing I was going to get!) that you'd 'give me a shout', well where was it? I honestly thought he was different, like an anomaly in a world of judgemental, self-confessed beautiful people. So as I sit here on my bed, surrounded by unfinished homework, instead venting out my compressed anger for one Finn Hudson into my specially printed leather-bound diary, I begin to feel as though my new life in Lima, Ohio will soon turn into an unhappy one with obstacles and difficulties that I'm not scared to face.

So even though the only one to read this will be me and only me, I'll end this entry with a fitting quote to see me through till tomorrow.

"The clock is running. Make the most of today. Time waits for no man. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That's why it is called the present."

- Maggie Xx

**Author's Note #2: Chapter One! I'm sorry if people out there either don't like OC's or slight Mary-Sues ****. But hopefully all can be forgiven and you can leave me a 'nice' review ****!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note #1: Chapter Two is here! From Finn's POV, from where he meets Maggie for the first time to the day after, just like the last chapter. Enjoy!**

**Chapter Two**

**Finn Hudson's 'Manly' Diary**

**Monday 1****st**** January 2011 – Entry #25**

I met a girl today. She was cute, I mean she wasn't obviously pretty like some of the girls at school but she had potential. Maggie Curtis, my new neighbour. She's insanely short, I mean she doesn't even come in to my shoulder like Quinn used to. She wears her hair all crazy and tangled with a tiny little braid down the side. I haven't seen her wear a lot of makeup, which I love because I'm not into the 'sexy, slutty' type of girl, especially after the whole "clown-hooker" situation I had with Rachel. I couldn't exactly tell where she was from because her accent was so unusual. I got she was from England but where? But one thing is for certain that after the messy break-up with Rachel, meeting Maggie was a healthy diversion. She has a sister, I only saw the back of her head but it looked like she was the oldest. I guess we've something in common too as I couldn't see her dad anywhere. She doesn't try and get inside my head, like Rachel and she doesn't try and make me feel stupid just like I had with Quinn. I've never meant anyone so witty and sarcastic and well pretty, she's in a league of her own, especially if I'm comparing her with any of the other girls I've gone out with.

**Tuesday 2****nd**** January 2011 - Entry #26**

I tried looking for her at school today, I mean really tried. I even tried to explain what she looked like to Mr Schue, just in case he taught her, but it turns out she doesn't take Spanish; so I gave up, which isn't something I can do very easily. I thought I saw her once for a second at lunch, standing in line and wearing the same baggy grey jumper that seems to hug her in all the right places. But then I turned around and she'd gone, out of sight but not out of my mind.

I'm not saying I want to get into her pants or anything; I'd just like to get to know her. I guess the break-up hit Rachel hard, I mean she wasn't moaning at me or controlling everybody in Glee club. I'm sorry for breaking up with her but it had to be done, I mean I was going crazy, mainly because I couldn't touch her boobs and we only stayed on first base. She looked really upset today, with her hair all messy and her outfit was insanely bright but I had other things on my mind to notice anything else, like trying to find Maggie. I mean I was on a serious quest, like those dwarfs from that book where there's a ring or some other piece of jewellery. I think the guy who wrote it was high or something?

I used to write in here a lot, especially when I started to think about my dad. I keep thinking about him a lot lately especially when it comes to girls like how to treat them better and what to do on a first date. I mean I've got his old shirts but it's not the same as the person who wears them. I'm trying to save all his things for when I have a kid, my real kid. I can imagine him having my eyes, maybe my mouth and at a stretch my hair. It was all the hype with the baby drama that got me thinking about what my kid would look like. I mean I thought I was going to be a DAD. I can't even look after myself let alone another human being!

I guess I'll have to persuade Maggie to join Glee Club if there's any hope of seeing her again. From what I've seen and heard, she's one of the most honest people I know, she so scarily honest that she made me go all tingly and weird inside whenever she opened her mouth, especially during our first conversation.

Quinn was always aching to be popular, Rachel was always aching to be noticed but well Maggie, I'd guess she's not aching to be anything. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy being Rachel's boyfriend but I had a hard time keeping up with her mad flares of anger whenever Santana would pick on her or when she didn't get a solo. After Quinn, I never thought I'd be able to get back on the right track but Rachel helped to pick up my self-esteem back to where it was supposed to be. I just didn't feel like I wasn't giving her my full attention, so I ended it. I probably shouldn't have broken it off so soon but I guess it's like ripping off a Band-Aid so it doesn't hurt as much, I wasn't expecting the opposite reaction.

I mean Maggie makes me feel things I haven't felt before, things that seem more adult. I'm not a boy whenever I see her or whenever I'm with her, I'm a man. She keeps me on my toes, giving all the experience with Quinn, this time it's a more positive experience. It's weird how much has changed over the past year; I'm not going out with Quinn anymore or Rachel for that matter, the Glee kids are still not popular and well Maggie's here. Here's hoping she got a killer voice to match up with her killer personality.

I might try going over to Maggie's later, to try and persuade her to join Glee Club. If she doesn't reply, I can see this "writing in a diary" thing happening on a more regular basis. Better get started with the good old rock-throwing, well saying that, my arm's gone a bit dead from football, it's the start of the season and I guess I pulled a muscle when I was _doing_ some macho bench-presses.

I can't think of anymore to write so this seems like a good place to stop.

Write soon.

_Finn Hudson, 17 years old._

**Author's Note #2: Hope you liked it! Next chapter should be up in a couple of weeks because I have a tonne of coursework to be getting on with. As for "One Night", it's coming along slowly, but nicely but the cursed "Writer's Block" has struck so it might take a little longer to finish the chapter. Apologies for shortness. Much Love Xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note #1: Here's Chapter Three of "Let the Right One in". Enjoy! **

_**The Ballad of the Ugly, Shy Girl…**_

**Tuesday 2****rd**** January 2011: Entry #3**

I did it.

The inevitable has happened.

I joined Glee Club.

On the contrary, I was **forced **into it by the one person I was trying to avoid, Finn Hudson. Why the hell did I have to start singing in the middle of Spanish? Spanish, of all the classes and in all the classrooms, why his? I had to change from US History to Spanish because well I'm an Englishwoman and I don't know squat about Ben Franklin or good old Abe Lincoln.

I was getting into the lesson when who should turn up and sit at my table? Him. He just stared at me with those big, brown eyes and I was apparently supposed to melt into a pool of girlish giddiness. I threw my bag onto the chair next to me and shot him a decidedly bitter glare, the interaction could've been left there but no, Mr Hudson tucked my bag down on the floor and set up his books beside mine. Giving me his trademark smile, Finn leant over me, his masculine protectiveness oozing from his adolescent cologne. I tried to lay the boundaries, setting up a perimeter around my Spanish books with my decidedly nostalgic pencil case, littered with all things Brit-Pop. The notorious Mr Schuester, most recently 'outed' for being a "man-whore", stood at his desk and looked over his class, suddenly fixating his attention on me. My first impression was to run down the corridor, shouting "Paedo!," but obviously that would've made my second day at McKinley disastrous. Instead I tried to turn back to my work, focusing my attention on verb conjugation. Verb conjugation? It seemed simple enough; little did I know that Finn was glancing over my shoulder, trying to copy my work. I used my hand and tried to flick him away. Instead, it turned out to be a flourish and barely made a scratch. What the actual hell is wrong with me? I've become a mess, a big, wussy mess. He laughed, trying to initiate a conversation between the pair of us. I tried to keep quiet, still concentrating on verb conjugation and my Española.

Finn smiled, folding a piece of paper and throwing it at me, I decided to give him props for his persistence. Opening the paper, I managed to crack a smile, albeit it wasn't my best, most attractive grin but it managed to work its magic on Finn. He had asked silently if I sang, it was an abrupt request but all I could do was say 'yes'. I leant over, knocking my pencil case back into my bag, I'd never done anything as remotely insane as this, opening my mouth and singing? I smiled again, remembering slithers of a song that I knew – 'The Story' by Brandi Carlile. He smiled, still leaning over, trying to copy my answers. Mr Schuester watched us carefully from the front of the classroom, his eyes screamed "I'm going to ask you a really tough question and you're embarrassingly, not going to know the answer", and so I leant back in my chair and scribbled through the workbook. Luckily, he decided not to turn to us, the troublesome pair and instead he chose a "mohawked" bad-ass known as Puck.

The bell rang for break and barring the girl on crutches, I was the first person out of the door. Running down the corridor, I found the library an unlikely refuge. Sitting down, I folded a book over my head and closed my eyes. Finn had managed to follow me closely; instead he rushed to another table, talking to a bespectacled wheelchair-bound boy. Bending over, he smiled, talking about some girl he'd met in Spanish. I took the book off my head and smiled, taking it back to its shelf and pushing it back into its slot. Now unusually I hoped he recognised me, I threw my bag over my shoulder and ran past their table, out of the door. He watched me go, silently pushing himself to the front of my mind. I struggled to tie down my emotions, trying to find the toilet in the blur of tears. Pulling down on the handle of a door I didn't know, I flew inside and managed to trip over the clumsy mix of feet. I tried to leave once I found out which room I'd stepped into and which club I'd obviously interrupted. Mr Schuester with his Paedo eyes ushered me into the choir room, seating me next to a very blonde version of Justin Bieber.

I got up from my seat as they started discussing some sort of National competition taking place in New York. Several voices called me back but I tried to ignore it all, crashing into something unusually muscular. Looking up, this was the point of my day where I wanted the ground to swallow me up and then spit me back out on a beach, hopefully somewhere in Barbados? Finn stared at me from his great height, I simply giggled nervously as he pulled me back into the room. Then I was initiated. It didn't seem so hard if I closed my eyes, really tight. Finn stared into my soul, I choked up and crumbled. I managed to the end of the verse before rushing towards my seat; I sat down to unusual applause.

I smiled awkwardly, pulling on the sleeve of my jumper, watching the thread come loose in my hand. I could feel everyone's smiles settle along the back of my neck.

Now everything was in full swing, I set about making friends. The brunette girl with the metaphorical big-head seemed nice enough, although the fact that she was now sitting alone seemed to scream out 'Loser'. I decided to bite the biscuit and talk to her so I took the seat beside her and began to introduce myself. She smiled at me, taking out a very large and extremely heavy folder. I glanced over it and smiled, trying to hold her attention enough for her to give me a name. I couldn't exactly call her "Man-hands", or any of the other names everyone else had given her. 'Rachel Barbara Berry' she explained, with her extraordinarily high voice. I acknowledged her quietly and began to rifle through the pages of her folder, neatly decorated so much so that her adoration for Barbara Streisand was blindingly obvious. I knew a little of the Streisand, most from Meet the Fockers I must admit. Whilst she was alive, though, "Funny Girl" was one of my nana's favourite films, so every Saturday without fail; I'd be forced to watch it on her knee, sucking on boiled sweets till my jaws ached.

I sat with Rachel awhile and we exchanged pleasantries, she explained that her obvious talent was constantly overlooked and that being one of similar calibre, I shouldn't be so shocked if the rest of the club hated me as much as they hated her. I argued her case as we sat together, overlooked by the rest of the group, barring Finn, who occasionally gave me a friendly, warm smile. I smiled, agreeing to take her to lunch at the local coffeehouse. She smiled back, taking my hand and telling me honestly that I was her new favourite person. Through my school years and various friendships, I have never been considered someone's favourite person so I took the title gladly.

The bell rang and I was joined by Finn once again, who stuck valiantly by my side. He tore through the rabble of hormonal teenagers who took up most of the corridors, keeping my arm fixed tightly in his hand at every cost. I, in turn took hold of Rachel's hold, fighting through the crowds. We made our way out onto the porch; I stood at the front of the trio, directing them to the tiny compact that was unfortunately my mode of transport. I noticed Rachel and Finn stare each other down as I made my way to the driver's side. Finn immediately made his way to the passenger's side and was sitting obediently in his seat before I had even opened my door. Rachel was in the back, biting down nervously on her nails. I managed to pull out of the car park, leaning over to the glove compartment; I pulled out a pair of my red wayfarers. Leaning back against my seat, I invited Finn to turn on the radio. He smiled, twisting the dial and listening whilst it changed to 103.3 FM. I smiled back, trying to restart the previous conversation with Rachel.

We pulled up to the Lima Bean where Rachel managed to run ahead of Finn and I. Watching carefully; I studied his face, a smile etched into his skin as we walked together. Rachel was already at the counter, ordering something highly-caffeinated and guiltily sweet. I looked past her, noticing another mystery boy, decidedly more fashionable than the McKinley boys, with his sharp blue blazer, lined with red thread. I rushed up to Rachel excitedly, hoping she'd introduce her friend. Rachel smiled, linking our arms together. Finn came up from behind, towering over us both.

The model-like boy introduced himself as Kurt Hummel; unusually he was Finn's stepbrother. I stood nervously, admiring his satchel that hung at his side. Finn leant over me, beginning to order his coffee. I joined in, smiling as he misunderstood his own order as I started to order mine. Kurt commented on my knotting jumper, which had begun to fray on the sleeves. I smiled politely and told him of my admiration for his fashion sense. Taking my hand, he leant forward and thanked me. I realised quickly that he had been a member of the club I had newly joined; the delightfully dramatic personality seemed to give it away. Finn handed me my coffee and our small group decided to sit down. Kurt asked where I had transferred from, so without going into obvious detail, I told him politely that I had come over from England after my parents went through a messy divorce. The table fell silent; I tried to make a light-hearted joke as Finn sipped at his coffee. Kurt smiled, reaching for my hand. I neglected my coffee for a while; the sweet, white froth was already sinking to the bottom of my Styrofoam cup.

And then came Nick, Nick Duval. He was Kurt's Warbler buddy and from what I heard, he was super-hot! Leaning over the table, I smiled deep into Kurt's iPhone, staring through his big brown eyes. Suddenly through all my premature happiness, I shrunk back into my chair. Everyone, concerned about my tears, asked quickly what was wrong. So after years of bottling every feeling I've ever felt, I broke into a fit of tears. Kurt ran to the counter and gathered together a large clump of tissues. Finn tried to hold me together, squeezing every bone in my body towards him. Rachel tried too, giving me warm words and a warmer smile. Kurt instructed Finn to hold a tissue under my nose; I managed to tell him through a swallow of tears that I could handle the crying by now.

Once the last of my tears had dried up, I tried to look back at Nick again. Kurt smiled, agreeing to set us up. I sat there as the idea of being set up to go on a date, was an alien concept, especially with my self-esteem being at an all-time low. Finn sat there too with bated breath, dragging his wooden spoon through the skin of his coffee.

So that was my day, my more than eventful day. From singing in Spanish, thinking my Spanish teacher was a paedophile and crying in the middle of a coffee shop, the best part was Nick, getting set up with him, the Dalton Adonis. Since the probability of my sister reading my once private diary is highly likely so from now on, Nick Duval, the perfect Nick Duval will be known as DA, the Dalton Adonis.

Hopefully the diary won't be known as the Ballad of the Ugly, Shy Girl any longer. Keeping my fingers crossed, I'm folding over the diary pages and smiling rather brightly.

Peace, love and everything in between.

M. Curtis :)

**Author's Note #2: So Chapter 3 is up! Hope you enjoyed it, it's a little longer than the others but that is only because I needed to set it up for Nick's entrance. Let the love triangle begin!**


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